The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-04-28
Paid The Penalty.

L e''NNAHOSN+ Ois FtDIuul
10Th, 1886, Fisher Marcum, all u
/ suspicious Of any danger, was val
ing alone in a field near the hou,
OF his mother. 1t was cold, blea
! day, with two or three inches ,
snow on the ground, No one wa
in his sight when the crack ola riff
disturbed the chill air, and the III
fortunate man fell to the eartl
piercod with n ball. A brothe
heard the report ofthe gun and RAJ
out to learn the cause, only to fin,
his kinsman writhing in his agony
lie was asked, "who did it1p "Put
shot me",was the answer, and t.
this statement hp adhered when hi
physician told him his wound wa.
mortal and again asked who free
the fatal shot. He lived unit
about nine o'clock that night
Search was mada for the tracks in
the snow, when it was discovered
that two men had been in ambush
and that the tracks were made by a
man or men wearing peculiar shoes.
Suspicion iell upon Jas, II. Marcum,
better known az Pud Marcum and
search Was IN de for him.
lie was ipAnd AZ the house of
Frank Burton, distant some nine
miles from the scena of the ,rage.
dY, His wiie's brother, Tom Car
ter, was also arrested, and upon
him were found the shoes bearing
the notable mark. Both men were
brought to Louisa and lodged in
Jail. At the June term q! the Law
renee Criminal Court both were in.
dicted and tried for the murder
1t is not necessary now to say any
thing OF the evidence. II was in a
measure circumstantial, but no link
in the chain was wanting, The
prosecution was conducted by
Commonwealth's Attorney S. G.
Kinner, ably assisted by K. f.
Prichard and G. w. Castle. The
defense was as ably managed BY Al
eXander Laokey and Jerry Rife.
The jury vas composed ofthe fol-
lowing gentlemen WIN. Taylor
VIM, howe, Geo, Wooten, John
Burgess. Elijah Gambill, John Ra.
my, Lee Small, Marion Stone, Jesse
iartin, Absalom Ruggles, Thomas
kise and Aug. Snyder Their YER
iict was guilty, aud pud was
sentenced TO be hanged on the 22nd
# the following October. From
his judgment the defense appealed. |
5ut the Court OF Appeals saw fit
lot to disturb the verdict, and the
Governor sentenced him to BIO |
Ianged on the Goth of April, 1887.
Up to last Tuesday Pud stoutly
naintained his innocence, adherina
. his own tes timony given on his
rial. But on that day he placed
. the hands of his spiritual advis-
RS a full and complete confession
I his awful crime,
or this crime he tn-day died UP.
n the scaifold In the presence of
early three thousand people
zen, women and children. Tom
arter Isl serving life sem
nee in the penitentiary, not hav-
lg dared to risk the terrible un.
,rtainty of another trial.
'ufihg Marcums last days on
nth he had the benefit Of the ad. |
CO and mlnistratlons Of Revs. |
lddith, Cook, Lauok, Stratton /
I'd Snead, and there is every |
ason to believe that the poor /
reich sought and obtained forgive e
SIS for his crimes. He evidently d
tertained some hope OF commu. a
lion or respite, but this was &
Ighted when he received the fol- 1
wing letter from Governor Knott a
Executive Department. ii
Frankfort, April 10Th, 1887. u
MES II. MARcuM, h,
SIR II have examined W
record in your case with the care
! deliberation demanded by the d;
full circumstances by which Won 81
surrounded, and while | sympa- ~
20 with you most profoundly. / pi
ret to have to say that | have Gu
n unable to find anything that in
nd sufficiently justify my inter, 90
ne with the verdict ofthe Jury Is,
}, upon their oaths pronounced ~
guilty to the exclusion of n sp'
ionable doubt. can, therefore, in,
commend you to the mercy of orc
Divine Being before whom we tov
It both appear, trusting that you ~
availed yourself of His blessed ny
nises to our poor fallen race. !
Very truly, han
j. Proctor KNOTT. Tn,